DR Congo says election pressure due to foreign greed for cobalt

The Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday said foreign "greed" for its cobalt lay behind the "malicious" pressures weighing on the country's electoral process.

The DRC is in the grip of a crisis over plans to hold presidential elections, which were delayed by President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down on the expiry of his second and final term last December.

Under a compromise deal, the vote was scheduled to take place this year.

But on October 12, the country's electoral commission said logistical problems in violence-troubled regions made it impossible to hold the elections before early 2019.

After the US demanded the vote be held next year, the commission last week said the election will take place on December 23, 2018.